Rail anchor



A. F. FlFlELD April 2, 1935.

I RAIL ANCHOR Filed Aug. 24, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. A/bert F/ /fi'e/o.

ATTORNEY.

April 2, 1935.

A. F FlFlELD 1,996,508

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Aug. 24, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Albert Efim/d.

A ril 2, 1935.

A. F. FIFIELD RAIL ANCHOR Filed Aug. 24, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR. A/berl FHffe/o.

a M A 5 TOREEEY.

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 unlnanouoaa f f I .j

Albert"F.' Fifield, "St."Catharines, Ontario, Canada, assignortd'lhe American- Forksa Hoe Company, Cleveland hio,- :a corporationsrof '0 hie w l Application August 2.4, 1931, serial No, 558,861

8 claims. release-4 32 My invention relates to "rail anchors and re lates more particularly to two-piece rail anchors; which; as is well known; commonlycomprise two interlocked elements conjointly clamped onto a rail base, and oneof which is engageable with a fixed portion of the railwayroad -bed,-suchas a tie 'to restrain longitudinal creeping; of the clamped rail'relativetojsaid tie or otherfixed road bed part. a p v thepatent to Charles G.Ericson, No. 1,402,852, dated January 10, 1922,'to provide a two-piece rail anchor comprising a jaw member made of cast metal adapted *to embrace one flange-f a rail base andhaving' itsback' formed asa wedge, in-cooperation with a steel bare-forming a yoke adapted to span the-rail base and provided with a hook at one endto embracethe jawmember and overhang the rail base and a hook" at the other end to engage the opposite rail-base with the engaging surface of the jaw member and the upper part 'of'said hook shaped-to spreadithe hook when the hook and jawimembercare' moved transversely of the rail base, the first outwardly and thelatter inwardly by suitably sloping the wedge surface portion of said jaw member.

? A1'1C hOI'S ofothe :above described Ericson type have come into widespreaduseczand have been very successful.; However satisfactorily these anchors may haveibeeniinpant they-havenot fulfilled"'all requirements for a relatively :inexpensive highly efficient: means; for preventing creeping-of railroad rails and among the objec t-ions had to such Ericson anchors :are thefollowmgr;

First,-when cars of railroad trains traversing the rails become derailed, the relatively rigid un-v yielding cast shoes are engaged by the wheelsgof thederailed: cars and the entire road bed is torn up: and the damageto the cars- -and thearoad bed'iis very seriously increased over what would occur were such'shoes not in place. Second-the more practical commercial embodiments [of the Ericson anchor have I been-expensiveto manufacture and to maintain-anware subject to considerable variation in manufac-i ture; one from anotherm I v p Third; the bite-of theanchoron the rail base flanges-has not been achieved in anchorsof this form in 13,5 eflicient a mannerxas is accomplished in'other types of two-piece anchors, such for instance as thetype exemplified by United States Letters Patent .No. 1,682,370 to F. W. Cooper, dated-.-August 28', 1928,: which has'also gone into widespread-use, and which is not ,subject :to the It has been previously proposed as disclosed in above saidzfirst objection vnor toltheoabove-said second objectiona- Y I r r An objecttherefore of my invention is to provide arr improved two-piece anchor :which is not subject to :the above said first. (objection.

Another object ofmy inventionTs to .provide" an improved two-piece anchor which is notIsub= jected to the above said second objection.

Another object of my inventionis to provide an improved two-piece anchor .whicheis notesubj'ect to the-above said third objection:

Another. object of 1 my invention is to provide an improved two-piece anchor which is notsub, ject=toany of the above said Ienumerated objece tions.-.';, V I Anotherobject of 'my inventionisio provide an anchon which is inexpensive to; manufacture j.

in; quantities-,1 and ,which W111 be: highly efiicient I inuse; v M Another object of my invention islto provide an improved method of making a highly efiicient railanchorl f ;r

Another object-of my invention is .to provide an improved rail ,ancho-r made at least .in .partof a rolledsection of steel.

Other objects of my invention and theinvention itself will become apparent to those skilled inthe art to-wh-ich my invention appertainsfrom the following description-of an 'embodimentbf myinvention and in which description reference will I-behad to the-accompanying drawings illustrating said (embodiment, wherein:

Fig. .1 is aview showing an embodiment of any invention illustratedin sideelevation applied .to a the rail base of a railroad railr shown invertical transverse ;.-seetion; v,

i r Fig.- 2 is a ,plan' View 7 of the embodiment I illus tratedin r the web gbfr-th= rail.;b eing;vsho,wn in ihorizontal transverse section; I

.Eig. 13;;is an -tend -elevational-.viewpf the em bodiment and rail-shown in the ioregoing izlg-ures;

: Figf. is aside elevational; =vi ew.-of ,a tie. engage ing clamping shoe comprising an element of :the said-embodimentya Figl 5 sis an 'elevationalviews'takenxoi -;a front face of theelement-of 'Fig; elg-l: s I

Fig.f-'6 is a view o'f the side oppositewto that shown'in'Fig." '4 0f the said element; the viewbeing taken at right angles to the viewx of Fig; 5 j 3 Fig'lifl is a plahfview ofthejelement of wigs-4 to $6 inclusive;

that the ancholcrof thef fole Oing figuresis shown at ca portion incompletely. appliedto' the 'base wof I :Fig; I8 is a view similar tothat of :Fig. 1 except be involved in the production of the element of Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, when said element is produced according to my improved method therefor. a I

Referring now to the different figures of drawings illustrating a preferredembodimentof my invention, at I, I show a tie engaging clamping shoe comprising the novel element of my invention, since the other cooperating element shown at 2 is a yoke member of the character and type illustrated in the prior patent to C. G. Ericson, No. 1,402,852, patented January 10,1922. I

The element is herein substituted for the socalled wedge member of thesaid Ericson patent,

and differs therefrom in a number of important particulars, whereby the functional attainments of the anchor of my invention considerably exceedthose of the anchor "of the said Ericson patent.

The clamping shoe comprises a substantially T-shaped tie engaging part 3, the web 4 of which is adapted to join the tie engaging part with the channel shaped part 5 which embraces the outer portion of the base of a road rail 6. The tie engaging part3 comprises a pair of oppositely extending flanges 1 and 8, the lower portions of which, shown at T'and 8, being adapted for engagement with'the railroad tie 9, and the up-- per portion ofthe flange 8 is notched inwardly toward the longitudinal middle of the tie engaging part; where the web l joins said'part. The notch is shown best in Figs. 5, 6, 10 and 15, at 8, and provides the flange 8 with upper and lower jaws H and 2 adapted to make tightly gripping clamping contact with the divergent upper and lower surface of the railbase flange, to' which the element l is afiixed. The upper and lower walls l3 and I4, respec tively, of the 'channelportion 5 of the clamping shoel are slightly divergent and relatively variably'forme'd' to eflect first the pr operclamping contact with the rail base flange to cooperate with the jaws H and I2, and to wedgingly receive the larger hooked end l5 of the yoke member 2,'which is provided with a smaller hook l6 at'its opposite end. r

The intermediate portion of "the yoke comprises a railbase'bottomengaging portion l'l and a relatively offset portion |8 adapted to embracingly engage the 'wall Id of the channel 5, which intervenes between and spaces the said offset portion N3 of the yoke, and the bottom surface of the rail base as shown'particularly in Figs; 1 and9.

The shoe illustrated per se in Figs. .4 to 7, inclusive, is preferably formed by cutting sections from a beam section rolled to form substantially as shown in-Fig. 12 in a rolling mill in relatively long lengths, whereby a plurality of sections a and b, substantially asshown by thedotted lines in Fig. 11, may be cut from the I-beam section, each having the form illustrated in Figs; 13 to '15, inclusive, wherein notches. ID are cut preferably at the same time as thesections a and b are cut from the'length of I-beam section. The notches l0 provide the jaws II and I2, Fig.

6, as before described for the shoe element of my improved rail anchor. The channel part 5 of the said shoe element is formed by folding the portion 5, of each of the sections a; or b, to the channel form, as shown in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, there being preferably, however, a web portion 4 which is not so folded and which remains to interconnectthe channel portion 5 with the flange portions 1' and 8, as shown and described.

Therefore following the form taken as illustrated in Figs. 13 to 15, the sections a. and b are then given the ultimate form shownin Figs. 4 to '7, inclusive, wherein the channel 5, having the required rail base flange embracing and yoke hook receiving surfaces is joined by a web 4 to the oppositely extending flanges I and 8.

In forming the walls I 3 and M of the channel, surplus metal in the interconnecting web portion A, such as shown at l9, are turned inwardly, and

thereby produce a second channel extending transversely to the channel 5 and intermediate the said channel and the said flanges l and 8, whereby considerable rigidity is imparted to the said web portion of the shoe. 7 a

Said shoe element formed as described has the channel portion 5 so positioned that its channel is in approximate alignment with the notch ID in the flange portion 8. The interior walls of the channel are so formed that inwardly extending surfaces thereof disposed particularly at 20, 2| and 22 engage the rail base flange when the shoe is projected onto the flange with the notch l0 and the channel of the element 5 receiving the flange, theportion of the rail base flange 6 engaged by the portions 2|], 2| and 22, respectively, being spaced longitudinally of the rail, whereby a substantiallythree-point contact is had between the clamping shoe and the railbase flange by clamping portions of the shoe-substantially spaced from each other longitudinally of the rail base. 1 I

Also other portions of the shoe shown. at 20 and 22' preferably engage the bottom surface of the rail base-"after the shoe-has been'drivento its ultimate position onthe base'flange of the rail.

- In order to drive the shoe onto a rail base flange sufficient driving force must be exerted to resiliently distort the clamping'shoe, because of the first engagement by the jaw portionsZO, 2| and 22 of the'shoe with the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base flange and the jawsurfaces 20' and 22" are so positioned slightlyflower than the jaw surface 2| before distortion of the shoe by the driving on process, that only when the driving results in distortion of the'anchor' shoe, will the jaw surfaces 20'and 22' make engage ment, but soon after such engagement is had; the drive-on step of the process iscompleted' and the shoe will remain in tightly driven resiliently maintained embracing'contact on the rail base flange 6, biting firmly against the longitudinally spaced surfaces of the rail base; particularly at the points 20, 2| and 22 thereof alternately above and belowthe'rail'base in longitudinally spaced portions. I

Following the application of the shoe element I to a rail base flange, as previously described, the shoe being applied to the base flange so that the tie engaging portions'l' and 8 engage the tie 9 substantially as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,

and'in Figs'8 to 10, inclusive, the yoke 2 having its opposite ends bent in the form of hooks, as before described, asset forth in the aforesaid Ericson patent of theprior art, is placed on the rail base by the: successive steps illustrated in Figs; sans 9, wherein the larger hook i5 :is first: placed over the rail base flange fi'a'ndthesmaliler hook it is then lifted upwardly over the edge of theirail base flange S by movingit in the direc tion of the arrow 23, Fig. li and then the entireyoke is moved laterallyin the direction of the arrow 24, Fig. 9, so-that thesmall hook I6 is tightly fitted into. embracing engagement with the rail base flange 6 and the large hook beingi moved outwardly from the rail .base flange 6, may: then be moved longitudinally of the rail over the channel part5 of the shee Both hooked ends of the yoke are driven along the rail base until, because of the progressively increased divergenceot the upper and lower 'sur-'= creases the anchoring bite of the jaws 20, 2| and 22 of the shoe on the rail base flange 6.

The wedging action of the shoe and yoke is somewhat similar to that described in the aforesaid Ericson patent to which reference is hereby made, except that in the said Ericson patent the property of resiliency being substantially absent from the so-called wedge-shaped jaw member, the effective bite had by applicants jaw member is not present in the Ericson structure; and the intermediate outer wall of the channel portion of the shoe is preferably slightly bowed so as to provide a wedge surface between the points a: and y and an inwardly extending portion between the points x and 2, whereby the hook portion 15 of the yoke will be retained in its operative position as shown in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3. The outwardly bowed form of the channel intermediate portion is best shown in Figs. 2 and 7. The compressive stress exerted by the yoke upon the shoe has a horizontal component exerted against the said intermediate bowed wall of the shoe channel portion, and a vertical component exerted against the jaws i3 and M of said channel.

Both vertical and horizontal stresses result in slight yielding of the resilient channel and a more effective bite upon the rail face flange 6.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment of my invention herein illustrated and described, but without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a yoke element having an intermediate portion adapted to underlie the base of a rail and hooked ends, a shoe formed from a rolled steel T section comprising a tie engaging portion provided by the T head and comprising a substantially rigid notched portion and a channel shaped rail base flange embracing portion provided by folding over portions of the T leg, said last named portion being inherently resilient, the notched and channel portions providing upper and lower jaw portions engageable with the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base flange at points relatively longitudinally spaced along the rail base, said channel shaped portion adapted to be compressively embraced by one of the said yoke hooks.

2. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a yoke element having an intermediate portion adapted to underlie the base of a rail and hooked ends, a shoe formed from a rolled steel section and comprising a tie engaging portion and comprising a substantiallyrigid notched portion and a channel shaped j-rail' .base-tflangerembracing: nor-1 tion, said lastinamed'iportion being inherently. resilient; the rrotchediand charmel rportlori'saproi-i" vi'ding upper and lower: j aw portions .aengageable' z the upper andrlower. surfaces of the rail base flange at points relatively longitudinally spaced:

along the rail base, said a channel shaped portion adapted to be compressively "embracedaby'one oi the said yoke hooks,- said' jaw portions being satleast three in number; and. am intermediately spaced one of said j awtzportionsi beingzdisposed on thesop pcsiteside of thezrailbase flange fromtwo other. of saidjaw portions; =1 I 3 A rail anchor having a. substantially rigid notched. portion. and. relatively iongitud-inally spaced "therefrom, a. shoe member. comprising a? horizontal substantially resilient channel portion, providing upper andrlowerwalls effective as jaws; said jaws l and" said notched portion 1 adapted to embrace one flangegof a:rail.baseandiorinedras a wedge,:;and-a1heavy bar sof metal actingsasi a yoke adapted to span the rail base having a hook at one end to engage one edge of said-base, and a relatively rigid hook at its other end embracing said channel, said last-named hookcompressively engaging said jaws tocause them to resiliently yield to effect a resilient bite onto the upper and lower surfaces of the said rail base flange in at least three longitudinally spaced points.

4. A rail anchor substantially constructed as set forth in claim 3 in which the upper and lower surfaces of the channel are substantially parallel for the greater part of their length and are slightly chamfered at the free end of the channel to facilitate its entry between the parts of the hook, and formed with inner surface portions spaced longitudinally of the rail base which engage the rail base flange on either side of said hook, the

intermediate portions of the jaws being relieved from contact with said flange.

5. A rail anchor comprising a shoe member having a horizontal substantially resilient channel portion and a substantially rigid tie-engaging portion integrally formed therewith and provided with a notch portion longitudinally spaced from the channel portion, said portion being of substantially uniform thickness and formed of a single piece of rolled steel section, the tie-engaging portion extending in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of the channel portion, said channel portion and notched portion providing a pair of upper and lower jaws adapted to embrace a rail base flange, a bar comprising a yoke formed with hooks at its two ends, one of said hooks adapted to engage one edge of the rail base, the other hook embracing the said channel portion of said shoe, and compressively forcing its upper and lower walls into resiliently maintained compressive engagement with the upper and lower surfaces of the'other edge of the rail base, said channel being relieved from engagement with said rail base in intermediate portions and said channel-embracing hook engaging the channel over said relieved portion.

6. A rail anchor constructed substantially as set forth in claim 5 wherein the'channel portion is provided with an intermediate rear wall which is bowed outwardly in a direction longitudinally of the rail base to facilitate entry of the hook over the channel portion and to eifect retention thereof thereon when said book has been driven past the most outwardly extending portion thereof.

TA rail anchor comprising a shoe. member having a horizontal substantially resilient channel portion and a tieeengagingportion integrally formed therewith, said portion being ofv substantially uniform thickness and formed of a single piece of rolled steel section, the tie-engaging portion extending. in a plane at substantially rightv angles tor-the plane of the channel portion,.said. channel portion providing a pair, of substantially of said shoe, and compressively forcing its upper and lower walls into resiliently maintained compressive engagement with the upperandilower surfaces of the other edge of the rail base, said channel being relieved from engagement withsaid rail base inintermediate portions and said channel-embracing hook. engaging the channel over'said relieved portion, said tie-engaging portion'being slottedto form upper and lower jaws adapted to embrace the rail baseflange at apoint longitudinally remote-from said channel. a

8. A rail anchor comprising a' shoe members adapted to be formedfrom a generally T-shaped folded to provide a substantially resilient channel? portionadapted to grip said rail base flange at a:

point longitudinally spaced from the tie-engaging portion, and an intermediate, portion of the channel being adapted to compressively engage one side only of the rail flange, the remaining channel portions being adaptedto be maintained out of contact with the rail flange, and a yoke member adapted to span-the rail base having a hook at one end to engage one edge of said base, and a relatively rigid hook at its other end embracing said channel.

ALBERT F. FIFIELD. 

